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Start Dreaming Up Your Summer Adventures!

Scouts Canada – March 24, 2017

Canadians are fortunate to experience the four seasons as sharp contrasts to each other. From the snowy depths of winter to the buds and blossoms of spring, to the sunny and stormy days of summer, to the spectacular colours of fall, every season offers a fresh opportunity to appreciate the beauty of nature.

Of course, the different seasons also offer a variety of opportunities for Scouting adventures! While it’s wonderful to hit the trail when the snow melts and wet a paddle when the ice breaks up, Canadians know that spring offers just a hint of what’s to come. There’s no season quite like summer for enjoying the outdoors!

Summer Adventure Week – the last week in March – is all about getting a jump on planning your great, safe, summer Scouting adventures! Now’s the time to give some thought to what adventures you’ll share this June, July and August. Summer’s a unique opportunity to dream a bit bigger. After all, Scouting youth are on holiday from school, so summer’s the perfect time to take an extra day or two (or three or four!) for an outdoor adventure.

It’s also worth appreciating that there are some adventures possible in the summer that really aren’t the same at other times of year. Sure, you can plan a day at the beach in the middle of winter and even build snow sculptures, but it’s not quite the same without a dip in the water! And while winter offers some of the clearest possible conditions for stargazing, there’s something wonderful about watching for shooting stars and not freezing your toes off.

When people think of Scouting, many think of fun outdoor activities like camping, hiking, swimming, sailing, paddling, cycling and horseback riding. Unfortunately, many Groups wind down their Scouting programs for the summer season. There are a variety of understandable reasons for this – for example, many families take vacation time in the summer, and both youth and Scouters may not have as much time free for Scouting as they do during the school year.

While there are certainly some obstacles to sharing Scouting adventures in the summer, the rewards are worth the trouble. Sharing summer adventures strengthens the friendships among youth in a Section – it is an opportunity to keep in touch with one another, and with Scouting. Youth who share summer Scouting adventures report a higher satisfaction with the program overall, and they are more likely to register for Scouting in the fall.

Summer Adventure Week is a celebration of a season that’s still months away. It’s time to start dreaming up and planning your summer Scouting adventures. The Summer Adventure webpage offers a wide variety of ideas for summer adventures for all Sections, in all parts of Canada. Check out the ideas – there may be something you want to try, or someplace you’d like to visit. You might settle on an adventure that’s not on the site, and that’s great too! Whatever you get up to this summer, we’d love to hear about it – #ScoutsDoStuff!